The Mysterious Jenazooms

[JDMvW]

<p>After 1960, there may be a case, but Zeiss Ikon (Jena) restarted production by 1946 or so, invented (in the sense of actually producing a camera very different from the pre-war planning) the SLR prism 35mm camera, made the Biotar (<a href="http://keppler.popphoto.com/blog/2007/04/inside_straight.html">link</a>) and continued Sonnar production. etc.</p>

<p>It's not so one-sided as all that.</p>

<p>But I am quite sure that those who follow the Oberkochen cult will never acknowledge anything good could ever have come from Jena. No matter.</p>

[chuck_foreman1]

[Would love to trade barbs on EAST vs WEST, but don't want to drift too far though ] Welcome back 10 days is great! It'S like mind reading on two account ..where's Rick D ..and was there ever a true Zeiss Jena zoom(macros) back in the day or were they farmed out or in as the case may be. I was perusing the Deutsche auction site (22 pages) not looking for anything in particular (ummm ...now I'm watching 15 items) and this preponderance mentioned above occurred to me. Lovely shooting. Amazing after the diagnosis of age related viruses etc. Thought the satellite dish shot was a good example of clean distortion free nomal zoom and of course the first flower shot is such a beaut! Another provocative post .. Thanks Rick!

[rick_drawbridge]

<p>Thanks for the responses. Of course, the definitive response would have been something like: "<em>The Jenazooms were designed and marketed by VEB Carl Zeiss Jena, but manufactured by....of Japan, to Zeiss specifications and with Zeiss quality control</em>". But nothing's that simple, as your responses have demonstrated. The convolutions of the Japanese lens industry is complicated enough, without adding a European dimension. <br /><br /><strong>SP</strong>, the Pentax suggestion certainly is credible, though I've seen no hint of it elsewhere. Thanks <strong>JDM</strong>; you may recall a post I made some time ago on the Prakticar zooms.</p>

<p>http://www.photo.net/classic-cameras-forum/00W8sI</p>

<p>Thanks, <strong>Q.G</strong>. for setting the record straight on the "Two Zeiss" situation, andthank you <strong>Louis</strong>, <strong>Mike</strong>, <strong>Chuck</strong>, <strong>Tom</strong>, <strong>Michael</strong>, <strong>Robin</strong> and <strong>Capital Q</strong>, for your comments: it's good to be back!</p>

[Troll]

<p>What is the tripod head you're using? It looks interesting.<br>

Thanks</p>

[rick_drawbridge]

<p><strong>Bill</strong>, it's my very old and worn Velbon HEB-3, a little metal tripod that's traveled many miles with me. Folds down to about 18 inches in length, is of good sturdy construction with excellent adjustments, and will hold a MF camera. If you see one second-hand, grab it.</p><div></div>

[Troll]

<p>Thanks.</p>

[Alan Johnson]

<p>According to "Praktica Photograpy" the magazine of the UK Pentacon club ,eight new Carl Zeiss Jena Series II lenses (six zooms and two wide angles) were introduced in 1986."..they are designed to complement the majority of todays (1986) better to best quality SLRs...designed with the Praktica range of today very much in mind; both screw and B-type mounts.....produced in Japan under licence from Carl Zeiss Jena..."<br>

Also the original Sigma 80-200 was reviewed in the 1975 no 4 issue and a newer version in 1980 no5 but since these were M42 no co-operation between Sigma and CZJ is implied.</p>

[rick_drawbridge]

<p>Thanks <strong>Alan</strong>, that's an interesting snippet of information. There could be an implication there that Carl Zeiss Jena <em>designed</em> the lenses, but it's a shame the magazine doesn't name the manufacturer! It seems to confirm that Carl Zeiss Jena marketed the lenses.</p>

[robin_sibson1]

<p>JDMvW, the two zoom lenses illustrated in your earlier posting are more than merely cosmetically different. One increases focal length on extending, the other decreases it.</p>

<p>Pre-WWII, Jena was pretty much a Zeiss company town. I visited it not long after reunification, and it still had that sort of feel about it. However much or little the quality and price trajectories of Zeiss Jena and Zeiss Oberkochen may have diverged after the war, Zeiss Jena retained a reputation for reasonably solid workmanlike, if not very sophisticated, equipment. Their theodolites, for example, were quite well regarded right up to the end of the era of non-electronic surveying equipment.</p>

[subbarayan_prasanna]

<p>Jena was the scientific center for optical glass development and production. I have read some scientific papers on optical glass. They mention Jena, frequently and the pioneering efforts by the scientists there. Post War Jena continued to produce new scientific equipment; these were sold all over the world except in the prohibited and restricted marketing zones of the North Atlantic. sp.</p>

[rob_h5]

<blockquote>

<p>... there having been a great thread regarding the somewhat rare AF Jenazooms for Canon EOS SLR's over on the EOS forum</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Rick thanks for the compliment, I was the one that started that original great thread on <strong>AF Carl Zeiss Jenazooms </strong>over 4 years ago and I just ran into your thread today, I know a year late to chime lol ... but better late than never. Since I shoot with Canon or Olympus I just post in those forums and I just now found your post here in the classic manual camera forums.</p>

<p>If you havent already read recent posts on my thread go to the last page, a guy from Europe posted recently in 2012 and was able to operate a AF Carl Zeiss Jenazoom with fully funtioning AF witha digital SLR. Even on the full frame digital Canon 5D I could only get AF to work at max aperture (f4.5). Also check out the exceptional quality of the photos on this page from this APO lens:<br /> <a href="../canon-eos-digital-camera-forum/00PHCD?start=40">http://www.photo.net/canon-eos-digital-camera-forum/00PHCD?start=40</a></p>

<p>Back to the original question of how much involvement Carl Zeiss Jena had in these lenses. Well if you havent seen this photo below of the Sigma 75-300mm APO and Carl Zeiss Jenazoom AF 75-300mm yet this should be proof that they are the exact same lens...and CZJ was definitely involved with Sigma. This actually is one of the earliest AF zooms (arc motor) ever made for Canon EOS. Keep in mind that the Carl Zeiss was the (East Germany) and thats the reason these all these Jenazooms were banned in USA in the 80's. <em>Now did CZJ supervise the lens design with Sigma or just rebadge?</em> No one really knows. My guess CZJ did in fact supervise as the quality of these 3rd party lenses were exceptional for time of zoom lenses of the 1980's and 1990's. Some German engineer(s) must have been involved in the partnership with Zeiss and Sigma. Again no one knows for sure...as CZJ folded in the early 90's and no interviews from any one who was involved exists (yet). Hopefully this helps clear up the mystery of the Jenazooms.</p><div></div>

[rick_drawbridge]

<p>Better late than never, <strong>Rob</strong>; the Jenazooms continue to be a source of fascination, and thanks for the additional information. Fine sample images, too. There's a lot of dismissive comment out there regarding these lenses, but I use my old PK copy quite frequently on my EF SLR's and continue to be impressed by the results. Perhaps, one day, the full story will be told...</p>

[rob_h5]

<p>Thanks Rick. I was just amazed someone was able to fully operate this<strong> Carl Zeiss Jenazoom AF 75-300mm ED</strong> on a digital SLR! Like I mentioned before the Carl Zeiss Jenazoom AF 75-300mm ED in Canon EF mount only works at max aperture on the full frame digital SLR Canon 5D MKI. It gives the classic Error 99/00 message stopped down at other apertures. Dave from France however was able to <em>fully operate</em> this 20+ year arc-drive AF Jenazoom (Pentax AF mount) with a Pentax K20D 14.6MP Digital SLR. It is very interesting to see a decades old AF zoom make it to the Digital age. The example photos in RAW he posted on that last page are exceptional for a zoom lens of the 1990's.</p>

<p>But yeah maybe someday classified documents from Zeiss will be revealed explaining the whole story on Carl Zeiss Jenazooms. :D</p>